What do the Gilmore Girls and Paul Aster's Sunset Park have in common? According to Juliet Linderman of Jewcy.com, the two are interchangeable. Linderman was sucked into the TV series, but after the switch from Amy Sherman-Paladino to another writer, the hit WB show (later CW) ended in an "undisputed disaster." Much to her dismay, Linderman finds Auster's recent novel just as unsavory as the last 18 episodes of the Gilmore Girls.
Linderman, who usually identifies as an exponent of Auster, believes the book is lacking in exploration of the protagonist, Miles. He is quick to recount the tragedies of past baseball stars, but his own secrets remains untold. She also found the Sunset Park tenants' infatuation with Miles to be unwarranted as he is riddled with flaws and too few redemptive qualities.
Personally, I'm not as familiar as Linderman is with those chatty girls from Stars Hollow, a name more indicative of the show itself. However, I can see Pilar making a guest appearance on the show to give that obnoxious Lory another reason to hysterically babble. My tastes aside, I find Linderman's criticism heated, possibly with the disappointment a fan faces with unmet expectations. I'm only through part I of the novel, but I think Auster does a fair job of showing "what makes Miles tick." Particularly in the memories that Miles is stripped and sized by his mother. Auster doesn't implicitly explain how this affects Miles, but his relationship with Pilar is evidence enough. Miles refuses to show Pilar himself as a result of the relationship with his mother. He has learned to never be "naked" in front of women because it will be met with calculated judgment.
Nevertheless, Linderman's criticism may come as a blow to Auster, but I find its humorous tone enjoyable, not too mention effective in communicating her point.
"Paul Auster Meets Gilmore Girls In This Review Of Sunset Park"
http://www.jewcy.com/arts-and-culture/books/paul-auster-meets-gilmore-girls-in-this-review-of-sunset-park
No comments:
Post a Comment